Music engagement

Music engagement has been studied in 4 papers since 2023: 3 observational studies in people, 1 review; 1 in the past year. The newest story, Oct 22, 2026: “Playing music shares genetic links with healthy aging”.

Intervention

4 papers study it7 findingsUpdated Oct 21, 2026

“respondents who reported both passive and active engagement performed 0.258 points better at baseline on episodic memory tasks.”

Music Engagement and Episodic Memory Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A National Longitudinal AnalysisThe journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences2023doi:10.1093/geronb/gbad058

None of its findings points the other way.

2 independent labs in 2 countries

Funders: Korea Ministry of Education and 1 more

Humans3

What did studies of Music engagement find?

Studies of Music engagement measured 4 outcomes; the most studied are rhythm reproduction accuracy (1 study), episodic memory decline (1) and episodic memory (1).

Rhythm reproduction accuracy

no changein humans1

1 study

Music engagement has no effect on rhythm reproduction accuracy in humans.
“Age and current personal engagement in music did not significantly affect rhythm performance.”
Humansn = 79
Can the Ability to Play Steady Beats Be Indicative of Cognitive Aging? Using a Beat Processing Device
Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland)Nov 20, 2024

Episodic memory decline

downin humans1

1 study

Music engagement protects against episodic memory decline in humans (0.043 points fewer per visit).
“This group also performed better across time with scores that declined by 0.043 points fewer per study visit.”
Humanslongitudinal decline compared with no music engagementboth passive and active engagementmore than 12 yearsn = 5,021
Music Engagement and Episodic Memory Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A National Longitudinal Analysis
The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciencesApr 21, 2023

Episodic memory

upin humans1

1 study

Music engagement improves episodic memory in humans (0.258 points better).
“respondents who reported both passive and active engagement performed 0.258 points better at baseline on episodic memory tasks.”
Humansbaseline performance compared with no music engagementpassive and active music engagementn = 5,021
Music Engagement and Episodic Memory Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A National Longitudinal Analysis
The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciencesApr 21, 2023

Cognitive reserve

upin humans1

1 study

Music engagement improves cognitive reserve in humans.
“evaluates evidence of neurocognitive preservation arising from lifelong music engagement with respect to the cognitive reserve hypothesis.”
Review
Music Engagement as a Source of Cognitive Reserve
American journal of Alzheimer's disease and other dementiasJan 1, 2023

What is Music engagement linked with?

Studies link Music engagement with 3 measures, most often musical rhythm ability (1 study), cognitive function (1) and SNP-based heritability (1).

Musical rhythm ability

upin silico1

1 study

Musical rhythm ability predicts music engagement in silico.
“bi-directional Mendelian randomization indicated that individuals who have greater genetic propensity for musical rhythm abilities are more likely to have more frequent musical instrument or singing engagement.”
In silicogenetic propensity
Playing music shares genetic links with healthy aging
Research SquareOct 21, 2026Preprint

Cognitive function

upin silico1

1 study

Music engagement is associated with cognitive function in silico.
“Secondary genetic correlation analyses (bivariate-GREML) linked AME to enhanced cognition, motor function, social engagement, and resilience to psychological distress, but also increased mood disorder risk.”
In silicon = 23,782
Playing music shares genetic links with healthy aging
Research SquareOct 21, 2026Preprint

SNP-based heritability

upin silico1+11%

1 study

Music engagement is associated with SNP-based heritability in silico (11%).
“SNP-based heritability was estimated at 11%, revealing 21 independent loci at suggestive significance (p<5×10−5).”
In silicon = 23,782
Playing music shares genetic links with healthy aging
Research SquareOct 21, 2026Preprint

Latest

1 paper in 12 months

Research SquareOct 22

Playing music shares genetic links with healthy aging

A genetic study of 23,782 people linked active music engagement to better cognition and motor function, but also higher mood disorder risk.A genetic study of 23,782 people linked active music engagement to better cognition and motor function, but also higher mood disorder risk.

Preprint: genetic association · 23,782 peoplePopulations